Moekillz Splits the Series with GSTRONG100 in Let’s Castle Championship Thriller
LCAP
https://www.chess.com/game/daily/794802645
https://www.chess.com/game/daily/794802627
April 8, 2025
In the first encounter, Moekillz, playing White with a rating of 1312, opened with 1. e4, only to face GSTRONG100’s unconventional 1...Nc6. "I opened with e4," Moekillz told LC Press, correcting any notion that he intended the French Defense—his opponent’s 2...d5 steered the game into that territory. Moekillz admitted post-game, "I didn’t know the opening that well and slightly misplayed it," a candid reflection on his early struggles.
The game rolled along with both sides trading blows, but the turning point came on move 19. GSTRONG100, rated at 1379, unleashed 19...Nxf2, sacrificing a knight to rip open Moekillz’s kingside.
"Did you anticipate this aggressive move?" LC reporters asked. @Moekillz 
didn’t directly answer, but his subsequent play suggested he was caught off guard. The knight sac paved the way for a pawn push to e2, pinning White’s position and forcing a defensive scramble.
Moekillz countered with 20. Rd7, 
aiming to pressure Black’s setup. "What was your plan?" reporters probed. "Yes, poor move—too aggressive," he replied, hinting at a miscalculation. GSTRONG100’s 20...e2 
coolly exploited the overextension, and by move 33, with 33...f5 
sealing White’s fate, Moekillz resigned. "Was there a moment the game slipped away?" LC asked. "My attempt at a bishop skewer on move 28 was a blunder," he noted, pinpointing a tactical error that cost him dearly. GSTRONG100 flexed his virtual muscles, 
taking the 1-0 victory.
Roles reversed in Game 2, with @GSTRONG100 aka the mighty mighty gorilla (now 1360) as White and Moekillz aka the Dominican assassin (1325) as Black. The French Defense returned via 1. e4 e6, and Moekillz quickly seized control. The turning point arrived on move 23 with 23...Bxg3,
a bishop trade that shattered White’s kingside pawn structure and exposed GSTRONG100’s king. "What was your strategy?" LC inquired. "Important to not lose initiative because then everything fizzles out," Moekillz explained, emphasizing his focus on relentless pressure.
That pressure crescendoed at move 26 with 26...Rf8+, launching a rook-and-queen assault. "Walk us through your thought process," reporters pressed. Moekillz didn’t elaborate beyond his earlier quote, but his moves spoke volumes. GSTRONG100’s king danced desperately—Kf1, Kf2—but Moekillz’s pieces swarmed. By move 37, 37...Qf1#
delivered a textbook checkmate, White’s king trapped with no legal moves. "It always feels good when a plan comes together," Moekillz beamed, savoring the triumph after his Game 1 loss.
Moekillz’s rating ticked up to 1325, while GSTRONG100’s antics—turning to flex for the cameras
—left his thoughts unspoken. "Did the rating difference affect your approach?" LC asked. "No, just another game," Moekillz shrugged, showing a level-headed mindset. On the series’ impact, he added, "The second game was an example of my ability to put a winning combo together," a boost to his confidence as he eyes future games in the tournament.
For GSTRONG100, Game 1 showcased his ability to capitalize on mistakes, while Game 2 exposed a vulnerability when Moekillz maintained the initiative. Both players walked away with a win, a loss, and a story to tell. In this digital chess arena, the series split proves one thing: neither player backs down easily—and the board is always ready for a rematch.
